Your marketing strategies do not have to follow the rules. In fact, if you dare to throw those rules out the window a little more often you would achieve more business success than ever before. Be creative, be bold!

Enabling creative thought requires innovation, insight and a keen understanding of how your clients think, act and feel. it's important to continue reinventing the way you do business. This will help reinvigorate your business relationships, strengthen your overall image and reposition your brand. Whenever possible, I suggest you bounce ideas off others in order to inspire collaboration and generate creative strategies for attracting new clients and re-establishing your approach to running your own business.. If you’re working alone, think of ways that your product or idea can directly connect to and respond to your audience needs; then do so in your own unique manner.

Creative Marketing: If you are thinking of starting your own small business, there is no need to spend big when it comes to promotion. In fact spending less might just be the way to go. People love the simple and unexpected, they enjoy a good challenge so go ahead and reach out to your audience in a way that they won’t soon forget. Hold a contest, leave business cards on dessert dishes and coffee shops. Make a deal with your local restaurant, that allows your first time clients to enjoy a 15% off lunch discount. Doing so, will create an incentive for repeat business and make your clients feel appreciate which can only count in your favour. After all, it is no secret that a small friendly gesture often goes a long way in making the business connections you need.

Make People Smile: Always stay positive and optimistic about your prospects. Ask advice about the best ways to reach out to people and keep up with your networking. From time to time, it is good to check in for an update on your clients current ambitions and motivations, then offer to help make them a reality. Infuse your marketing efforts with personality and humor. There is nothing like a little laughter, a funny button or a silly postcard to help persuade a client to buy into your service or product. When you set your business up in the spirit of generosity you’re guaranteed to reap the rewards.

Online & Offline Values: It is up to you to make certain that your online image and business values directly reflect your real life perspective. Consistency is crucial when running your own business so always know where you’ve been and where you’re headed. Don’t sell; instead project your beliefs on to your brand. You can do so via your value proposition, your online content, as well as your day-to-day activities. If you stay on target others will quickly take note at which point you are more than likely to establish a substantial group of loyal followers.

There is no right way of running a business. If you rely on your own know-how and intuition, you will discover that all you really need to succeed is to follow your entrepreneurial path with passion and conviction. When you listen to others along the way and allow yourself to grow from the inside out great things will come.

Image Creative Commons Licensed from Rupert Ganzer 

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There is no denying that the Internet and social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin, have allowed people with all kinds of professional and business experience to have access to a wide range of information, knowledge and ideas faster and easier than ever before.

The move to embrace technology and reinvent the way we do business, has prompted companies , innovators and young entrepreneurs to want to showcase their ideas in a new way. It seems as though people are filled with creativity and potential and yet there is no one to ask for advice.

Corporate giants are often overwhelmed and find themselves unable to keep up with modern business trends. Small mom and pops shops are starting to feel the pressure of trying to fit into this unsteady economic environment and young men and women are eager to demonstrate their entrepreneurial know-how. Even with so many creative minds and businesses, we are drowning with information coming at us from every direction. Businesses are competing for attention, the over saturated market is charging ahead, and there’s no time to stop, take a breath and ask: “How am I doing?” “Am I meeting market demands?” “Is what I’ve been doing working?”

We need advice. We need a sounding board, and we all need someone who can take the time to give us hand.

Wizof.Biz provides this. It’s an online platform which allows you to get the help you need when you need it and to no longer be alone. So what makes us different?

You get friendly expert feedback and business advice without having to leave the comfort of your home or office.

2) Our expert consultants can quickly and easily access the viability and marketability of your business at no risk to you.

3) Doing market research on your own is quite time consuming and can produce inaccurate results. Surveys and other business evaluation tools will not provide you with secure personalized consultations that WizOf.Biz guarantees.We’ll help you make sense of it all by working with you at your own pace.

4) Sure you can go out and survey the public but you will rarely get the answers you need to succeed. WizOf.Biz will answer any of your business questions no matter how complex whenever you need them answered. You can feel free to submit your questions online in any format including video, written documents or visuals. Your feedback is always given by qualified professionals who want to see you get ahead.

5) All of the information you submit to us with completely secure and confidential. Our consultants sign a Nondisclosure Agreement which prevents them from sharing any information you choose to submit.

6) Consultants are pre-screened, prior to providing advice to you, we ask them to submit a series of reviews. These reviews are written in a wide range of formats and cover a series of subjects.

7) Clients can have more than one consultant review their work depending on the level of trust.

8) WizOf.Biz has the answers to all of your business and marketing questions.

Services We Offer Include:

• Free confidential opinions on any existing work. We provide you with in-depth analysis of your material including rating and an explanation of the evaluation.
• Revision services where our team makes suggestions for improvements and points out areas of strength.
• Our clients can choose which consultant they’d like to review their submission. This is based in part on personal preference, experience level and suitability.

WizOf.Biz is truly a one-stop shop to help you tackle all your business and marketing needs. No more awkward meetings at the office or waiting for months for someone to answer your questions, With our versatile, friendly expert team there is no more need to stress, looking for advice in all the wrong places. Start now!

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All successful businesses need a source of captial. Without proper funding the opportunities for growth are slim to none. Too often, we see budding entrepreneurs who have brilliant ideas but take the wrong turn when it comes to seeking funding.

One source of investment is venture capital. However the reality is, that even with the many creative ideas, the amount of venture capital investments within the last few years has dropped. The current economic climate is volatile to say the least, making high profile investors are cautious when deciding where to place their funds. With so many worthwhile startups competing for attention, many investors find themselves unable to keep up to the demand.

Here are some additional funding options that might better suit your business type and objectives.

Approach the Banks:

Banks offer small businesses a number of financing options. If you supply them with proper documentation and present a convincing case, these types of institutions will be more than happy to offer you a business loan or a credit repayment program that suits your individual needs. All you have to do is demonstrate cash flow, present a solid business plan and convince creditors that yours is a once in a lifetime investment that they cannot afford to lose. Know your numbers; there is nothing worse than humming and hawing in front of a group of people who are ready to invest in you. Banks are likely to consider your personal banking history and repayment habits. For that reason I’d recommend that you initiate a personal relationship with the financial institution of your choosing before approaching funders with your request.

Apply For Grants:

There are many local and and government granting options Look for a collaborative government or community based project research initiatives that helps advance mutual interests. Such resource sharing arrangement will optimize growth potential for small and medium size businesses.

Independent Investors & Acquaintances:

Independently run organizations with cash to spare, will often choose to provide you with the necessary funds for a return on investment or as a one-time grant. These types of entities are willing to endorse ventures that they deem to be of value to existing community efforts or as part of a philanthropic initiative.

If asked, friends and family can lend a hand. This option is great for smaller cash loans and does not require too much headache. Always be aware of whom you’re dealing with and communicate at all times.

Whatever funding type you choose, know that every decision takes risk and preparation. Strategic investors, venture capitalists and independent entities are looking for the next best thing so if you play it right, you may be well on your way.

For more detailed information and a great comparison of funding methods, read a great article by our CEO Reg Charney on funding and your business.

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Peter Widdis is a driven marketing expert with a passion for innovation. He is also an integral part of the WizOf.Biz board of consultants.

In this post I'll let Peter tell you a bit about who he is, his perspective on the work that we do and highlight a few of the key elements that make this business platform invaluable to users.

1) Tell me a bit about yourself.

Simply put, I love & live building new things, through lifelong learning. I'm incredibly compassionate about connecting key insights into key ideas to open brand innovation anytime, anywhere! I am senior consultant with Boston-based Stratovation Associates and Professor of Marketing and Innovation subjects on the College scene here in Toronto.

Prior to joining Stratovation Associates and increasing my teaching commitments, I held senior leadership roles in primarily marketing and innovation at Cadbury Adams, Campbell Soup Company, Marc Anthony Cosmetics, GREY Advertising, LANG & Associates, GEM Group and LAUNCH! during my career journey.

2) What intrigued you about a business like WizOf.Biz?

Most small business owners are passionate about ideas and innovation which is great! However, often they are operated by people with little or/ no business experience…often even one person – who doesn't have a sounding board to get advice from during both the start-up, growth and maturity phase of one's business life cycle. The WizOf.Biz is the platform for them….a place where the wisdom they need is accessible and affordable too!

3) Can you share with us a few things that you've learned about Reg Charney e.g. his personality and/or business etiquette, that our readers may like to know?

Reg is driven to help all entrepreneurs win, period. He is not in this for himself and cares about seeing every start-up make it. A true serial entrepreneur, I have never seen anyone as relentless to see WizOf.Biz realize it's vision. Not too mention, he is a man of tremendous integrity which I have the utmost respect for.

4) In your opinion what makes WizOf.Biz unlike any existing on-line platform used to help businesses succeed?

Reg and his founders really listen to their audience. They want to create the absolute best platform on the web and the new user interface reflects this. They are truly in the business of providing "wisdom to entrepreneurs in need"….matching start-ups with extraordinary consulting advice that's affordance too.

5) Since your involvement with WizOf.Biz what important connections/advancements were you able to achieve?

I've grown immensely professionally as I have hands-on experience in working with real entrepreneurs, having spent a large part of my career working in multinational corporations as more of an "intrepreneur", so to speak. But now, having been apart of the WizOf.Biz community and connecting with real entrepreneurs, my appreciation for the benefits of a web platform like this has grown immensely.

6) Would you recommend WizOf.Biz to young entrepreneurs and small businesses that are looking for guidance and advice? Why?

Absolutely. It is a wonderful platform or/ hub for entrepreneurs to get matched with consulting advice to help their business ideas win. Reg's vision is to help every entrepreneur get the business wisdom they need to succeed; his WizOfBiz web innovation reflects his vision.

Thanks Peter

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Starting your own business is a scary prospect. Many of us have a strong desire to do what we love, but we fear leaping into the unknown. Instead we work long hours and contribute to the bottom line for others.

However there are many advantages to going out on your own. With a new year underway perhaps you should consider doing just that. Here are some of reasons to get you thinking.

1) A large part of being happy comes from the freedom to do what you love. Without that freedom, we remain largely unfulfilled. No amount of money is going to buy you the type of joy that comes from knowing you’ve made something your own.

2) Taking a leap of faith can open new doors and take you somewhere you haven’t been before. Not to mention that If you truly love what you do others will notice and will want to help you succeed.

3) By running a business you can be proud of your own accomplishments.You can achieve great success that you never thought was possible when drawing a salary. No longer will you have to put your time and effort into someone else’s pocket. Instead you’ll be able to invest these inner resources into yourself.

4) Job security is becoming a thing of the past. Virtually every employer is feeling the pressure of a fragile economy. Therefore, no one is immune to unemployment. By running your own business, you’re no longer at the mercy of a finicky boss who’s just waiting for you to slip up.

5) When running your own business you will have the mindset for creativity and self-awareness which is impossible to achieve in a cubicle. Your motivation will come from the actions you choose to take to make your business a success. People will look at you with a renewed sense of respect for having made a difference in their lives.

If I’ve managed to put a spark in you or if you are already well on your way to running a business, WizOf.Biz can help. It is an affordable online consulting and advice platform for businesses, startups and enterpreneurs. Our advisors are here to make suggestions on all your business content and put you on the path to success. Don’t wait, check out Wizof.biz today!

The year 2013 will bring about another slew of New Year resolutions. Many of us will focus on dropping the extra pounds we’d resolved to shed the year before. Others will make a conscious decision to spend more time with loved ones and more than a few of us will turn to improving marketing and business strategies as their number one resolution for the coming year. Here are some suggestions.

1) Resolve to Focus – Determine who your target audiences are. Look at their age group, occupation and social standing.Decide why this demographic is relevant to your business and go to where your specific market can be found.

2) Be Different – Your number two resolution is to dare yourself to be outrageously funny, phenomenally ingenious and intriguingly clever. Think outside the box to get the attention of those who understand and care about what you have to say. The other day I saw a series of gimmicky videos for a company that sold blenders. Their marketing ploy included blending random objects that are otherwise un-blendable such as iPhones, glowsticks and computers. Crazy right? Yes, but they stood out and that made all the difference..

3) Stay True To Who You Are – Just because you’re running a business does not mean that it has to run you. Make sure that your entrepreneurial self is directly reflective of who you are in everyday life.Communicate with others in a consistent, down to earth way. Inject some humor in everything you do and don’t forget to laugh at yourself. Align all of your marketing efforts with your own unique characteristics, then lead potential clients to elements of your business that point to the big picture.

4) Network – Make 2013, the year that you become part of the conversation, shmooze, exchange ideas. Make every lead an opportunity to connect and tell others what you do. Impress people by asking questions, giving answers and offering suggestions. Build business relationships that help you tap deeper into your market.

5) Learn & Discover – Seek out new opportunities to learn from others, participate in discussions and make discoveries about the way you run your business. Resolve to solicit client input. In the New Year,donate your time to other businesses that operate in the same general field. .

6) Create Content – Act interested. Strive to keep curious about your topic or idea. Work on showing others that you care about them and your cause. Make what you share with people funny and relevant.to their needs. Perhaps they too, have a New Year resolution that you can help them achieve. Tell your story; hell, a smidget of public ridicule never hurt anyone.

7) Take Risks – Be unconventional, intriguing and yes even wacky. Remember people love to see extraordinary things happen before them. Keep in mind that normal is boring and no one cares about anything normal at all.So look to wow the pants off of others.

8) Make That Dough – Enjoy what you do. Remain friendly and optimistic throughout. SHake hands, smile and offer to be there when it counts. If you do that, the dough will come rolling in when you least expect it.

I hope this gets you well on your way to success. In the meantime, stay insightful, innovate and prosper in 2013!

Image via *Sally M* Creative Commons 

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What exactly does it take to get ahead? Why is it that for many of us success is harder to come by? Quite simply it's because we are unwilling to open up to possibilities, listen to what people are saying and explore our own entrepreneurial potential. More often than not, we assume that our way is the best when it comes to doing business. I'm here to tell you, that that is far from the truth. Without a little sense of humor and a willingness to embrace the unexpected your business is likely to fail and here is why.

Before I started my own business, got clients and begun blogging for WizOf.Biz I too, was trying hard to fit in. However over time I came to realize that running a great business is about anything but fitting in. It's about leading your life, and your business according to your own inner compass, your values and ideas. The only way to be successful in whatever you set out to do, is to stand out and be noticed.

I don't claim to know it all. In fact even to assume I do, would be setting myself up for failure. The truth is that most businesses thrive because they are aware that their concept is an ever evolving one that will continue to tap into creativity, innovation and insight. That means relying heavily on your gut (which can never be taken for granted) and your own ability to reinvent yourself as an enterpreneur. There is no doubt that being an independent business owner has given me an edge when it comes to working with others. I have to know and ancicipate how my clients think, what drives them forward and how I can help them succeed.

Today, I would like to share with you a few of my personal tips on business success:

1) Always follow your inner voice. Intuition is both a personal and professional mechanism that we rarely listen to but it's important to recognize that most exceptional ideas are inherently intuitive. They are a type of instant and often subcontious response to something that we identify with or believe to be a solution to a problem. This intuitive impulse principle can, and should be applied to all aspects of our lives including business. Intuition can also lead to unexpected breakthroughs and discoveries which are crucial to business development. Intuition as I see it, is driven by our experiences and the desire to continue learning from others. People, particularly when it comes to business, are the inspiration you'll need to sustain and cultivate your ideas. That is why making sure you know all there is to know about what makes people chose you as a brand over the competition. Let me call this skill social intuition. Being aware of intuitive thought as your tool for success will help you steer clear of unecessary business blunders.

2) Make time to check in with yourself. While this is your journey, I strongly suggest that you keep track of where you've been and where you're headed. Conduct a professional inventory of the things you've been able to accomplish and those that you're working towards. Take note of the ever evolving business trends, viewpoints and popular beliefs. Most importantly keep reinventing yourself so that you can remain in sinc with emerging business realities. Things are constantly changing along with people's attitudes, wants and needs. Failing to stay abreast on these shifts can mean trailing behind. Building connections with people is what will propel you ahead.

3) Be willing to consider the input and opinions of others. Stubbornness will only take you so far in business. Open your eyes and ears so that you can see and hear firsthand what your clients are saying about you. Stay personable and plugged in to the suggestions of those around you. This is not to say that your own ideas don't count however it's important for clients to feel appreciated and responded to in a positive way.

4) These days it's difficult to escape advancements in technology. It is your job to learn all you can about new and emerging technologies that facilitate business development and growth. Technology is one of the biggest resources available to you as an entrepreneur; be it social media, money management or otherwise so don't lose it, use it.

5) Running a successful business is about using your education, your background and your everyday experiences as an integral tool for moving forward. Don't forget to be yourself and show people both your strengths and yes, even your weaknesses. Authenticity and generosity will never go unnoticed. Give what you know and the rest will follow.

6) Teach others about ways to improve on what they know. Become their vehicle for inspiration; there is hardly anything more valuable than working collaboratively towards an end result. Your reward is in making clients see that your thoughts and ideas are what is helping them do better. They will thank you for taking the time to work on what matters to them.

7) When ready, remember to share in your wealth. By that I mean offer free incentives. Give money to worthwhile ventures and provide expertise to those who need it. Having a human side to any business let's people know that your brand at its core, is thoughtful, generous and empathetic which is appealing to say the least.

8) Treat people the way you'd like to be treated. When it comes to business dealings, there is never a place for pre-judgements, unecessary claims or value statements so think before you act. You can't expect to be treated with dignity when your own idea of respect is questionable. Learn to accept criticism, re-evaluate your priorities and make the tough decisions.

9) Confidence and perseverance go a long way in business. So put your best foot forward and keep looking ahead. When you approach your challenges with confidence people will know. Anything is possible when you believe.

10) I am convinced that at the heart of any business venture is a desire to make an impact. So let that be the motivation for your work.

There you have it; my ten intuitive life tools to follow when forging your way to business success.

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Our focus at WizOf.Biz is on providing clients with new insight on how to succeed online. We believe in sharing ideas and offering innovative digital strategies that lead to entrepreneurial breakthroughs. The question is, how to get your ideas to spread? In his TedTalk video,writer, and ideas guru Seth Godin explains to us why “bad or bizarre ideas are better than boring ones”. Ideas that spread, says Seth, are ideas that dare to be different. “Very good” ideas according to Godin, are no longer good enough. In a world of too many options, and too little time, a purple cow is much more likely to turn heads than an ordinary one.

Go see it now and come back here after!

It’s true. In today’s over saturated business environment it is harder to get people to care. At the same time, this is a great opportunity to engage with people who are looking for your idea and are excited by what you have to say.

Seth is the creator of an online ideas platform called Squidoo.com where anyone can share their thoughts and make connections. You can visit Seth’s blog at: sethgodin.typepad.com. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed by what you’ll discover.

See you next time,
Irena Kagansky

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We have been working hard recently on a redesign for our site. I actually previewed the new design here not that long ago. As part of this process, we’ve made some important discoveries on website design. I thought I’d share some of those details today.

My hope is that this series of posts will help businesses learn how to incorporate the essentials that make for a great website. Later, I will talk about exactly why these elements are important and why they should be integral to any business.

Unfortunately, (or fortunately, depending on how one might see it) looks are everything these days. Websites must be clean, easy to use and esthetically pleasing. A solid online presence for a business is very much a reflection of its image; presentation matters. It’s like putting on your best suit to impress the interviewer. This means that businesses can’t afford to seem less than perfect. It’s a rather fussy audience and should your business fail to put its best site forward…well you know the rest.

So what makes a site that draws people in?

Content Is Everything

Good content is largely dependent on how well you know your market. The key is to be intuitive about perspective clients’ wants and needs. Next to aesthetic appeal your content should entice the reader. Think of it from their perspective. The minute they enter your site the first thought on their minds is “What’s in it for me? How can I benefit from what you have to offer?” If a client deems your presentation, i.e. language or style, irrelevant to their specific values or expectations they will walk away and never look back.

Google is the answer to most questions these days from how to fry a chicken to flying an airplane. If you’re not a million steps ahead of these fussy Googlers; you’re up the creek. Give visitors a chance to learn more about what you do and why you do it. Provide excellent, easy to find and simple to share content which expands your reach and gives value to your clients. Remember content really is everything and its why people come to your site. Also, one final point on content, never forget that no one enjoys being sold to so don’t make things sound like a sales pitch. Give it some personality, some likability.

Design

People need to be reassured; they need to feel safe. Just like in life it is hard to make sense of a website if the colour schemes are jarring and your links are difficult to follow. Consider backlinks within the site, to the about us page, or link back to an article about who you are and why this business is important to you. Well placed links provide people with easy access to the information they need. Not to mention that a friendly online space they can browse through will make them feel at home. Such links are alluring and compel visitors to keep on clicking through for more. Besides, I personally enjoy a nice click much better than having to kill time scrolling down the page to find what I need.

Most of us want minimal confusion and maximum results. If a website is clean and inviting it will show people you care about answering their questions. Keep the design modern looking and easy to follow. Avoid over cluttering your pages and focus the reader on the most important part of your message. Also, an uncluttered menu with clear headings and links is vital for easy navigation. Ensure you have an easy to find way to contact you.

The Blog

A blog is no longer a diary. It is not an “I Love My Cat” page. Today it’s a way to be creative and personable. Present people with challenging questions, announce contests that speak to the unique attributes of your brand, provide how-to answers and engage directly with your clients. This is a wealth of resources generated by you and your contributors in order to make connections and generate results. A blog with good content keeps people coming back to your site, sharing it with others and puts your name front and centre.

That is it for now. In my next segment I will tell you how to write amazing content, conduct key word searches and equip your site with tools that will make content browsing a breeze!

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